Leanne Cahill

Initiator
DISC Type : Di

Chief Executive Officer at icon

Southwell, England, United Kingdom

Overview

Leanne Cahill is a growth-focused CEO at icon, recognized for her expertise in retail, M&A, and founder transitions. People often describe her as an authentic, ambitious, and inspirational leader. A graduate of the University of Sunderland and a Chartered Management Accountant, she combines sharp commercial acumen with a passion for customer experience.

Born in Sunderland, Leanne is married with two children and enjoys camping and walking with her family in their motorhome across the UK and Europe. She is passionate about promoting social mobility and access to higher education through her ceremonial role as Chancellor of her alma mater, the University of Sunderland.

Unique fact: Leanne was born with one hand and speaks openly about how her working-class background and regional accent have sometimes been more of a barrier than her limb difference.

Personality Overview

Confident

Risk-Accepting

Impact-Oriented

They measure a product on its merit but can be influenced by strong testimonials.  They usually prefer to drive the conversation. They don’t mind taking a stand if they believe in something.

Topics They Care About

Founder Transitions
Her experience as the first CEO to follow the founder at Bravissimo gives her unique insight into navigating this critical business phase.
Purpose-Driven Leadership
She emphasizes creating an environment where teams understand the business's purpose, a core theme in her leadership style and personal introduction.
Social Mobility
A key focus of her role as Chancellor for the University of Sunderland and a cause for which she received an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration.

Media Appearances

icon appoints former Bravissimo boss as new CEO. Featured in Insider Media

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Sunderland Chancellor Leanne Cahill new head of icon Group. Featured in Northern Echo

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Work History

11-2025
Chief Executive Officer at icon
11-2023
Chancellor at University of Sunderland
12-2020 - 4-2025
CEO at Bravissimo
9-2018 - 12-2020
Managing Director at Bravissimo
10-2017 - 9-2018
Finance Director at Bravissimo

Education

2000 - 2003
ACMA from The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
1996 - 2000
BA (hons) 2:1 from University of Sunderland

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 27 Location : Southwell, England, United Kingdom Job Level : Leadership Designation : Chief Executive Officer at icon
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Insights For Selling To Leanne

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Clearly address the competitive aspects
  • Look like someone who is on top of their game
  • Keep your pitch focused on the impact but insert some anecdotes into it

DONT's

  • Don’t be very informal even if they are being so themselves
  • Don't be unorganized, be prepared for the pitch
  • Don’t be too verbose or overly friendly; a little bit, however, is fine

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Leanne is

  • Confidence in the product’s value is critical, followed by relationship and a sense of achievement.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Leanne

  • They will not hesitate to say no if they do not develop conviction.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Leanne move?

  • If they develop confidence in your product and you, then they can make fast decisions.
  • Can Leanne take some risk or not?

  • If necessary, they have the ability to take risky decisions.

You And Leanne

Personality Compatibility


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